Photo by: David Lorish
The Pioneers (16-5-5) continued their ascension in the national rankings on Monday, climbing to No. 3 in both polls following last weekend’s sweep against Alaska Anchorage.
Previous to the series, DU ranked No. 4 in the nation after tying Minnesota State 4-4 and beating them in overtime 4-3 last weekend, which earned them a leap from No. 6 overall to No. 4 overall on Jan. 17.
In the first game against AAU, the Pioneers won 3-2 on two goals from captain Kyle Ostrow, his first two-goal game of the season.
They continued their undefeated streak the next night, breezing past the Seawolves to a 5-1 victory with stellar play from goaltender Sam Brittain.
In Friday’s contest, the Pioneers took an early lead behind the first of Ostrow’s two goals only to see a tie at the first intermission. The Pioneers took the lead in the second with Ostrow’s second goal, but they still were tied 2-2 at the end of the second period.
The Pioneers were able to secure the win after Nick Shore made a quick move into AAU’s zone and fed an off-speed pass to a cutting Beau Bennett who snuck the puck past the goalie top shelf on a one timer with 9:22 remaining.
“Being able to win close games is a great characteristic to have,” said head coach George Gwozdecky of the win in the first game. “The chances were there and we took advantage of them tonight.”
The Pioneers got off to a slow start on Saturday night, falling behind 1-0, just 3:06 into the game, but then they gained momentum and road it to the victory.
The Pioneers had goals from Anthony Maiani, Bennett, Kyle Ostrow, who needs three points to reach 100 for his career, Jarrod Mermis and Jason Zucker, who added to his WCHA lead in goals at 17.
Mermis got the Pioneers rolling with their first goal late in the first period, then Maiani scored the eventual game winner shorthanded less than three minutes later. Twenty three seconds later, Bennett added another to give the Pioneers a 3-1 lead heading into the first intermission.
“Our offense took advantage early,” said Gwozdecky of the big lead that his team took in the second game. “To get out to a big lead that is what we wanted.”
With the sweep of AAU, the Pioneers remain unbeaten in their past eight games, a streak that started before the new year- a 5-0-3 record- while also improving their record to 12-1-3 and in the last 16 dating back to mid-November.
The last time the Pioneers lost was on Dec. 4 when they dropped a road contest to Minnesota Duluth.
The Pioneers are currently ranked No. 1 in RPI and have a 12-3-3 record in league play leading the WCHA. They next play against their heated rivals No. 20 Colorado College on Feb. 4, where they will look to continue their unbeaten streak, which is currently the second-longest in the nation, and continue to mount on the success they have accomplished over the last three months.
PRESEASON POLL
USCHO.COM/ CBS
The Division I men’s poll released Jan. 24. First-place votes are in parentheses:
- Yale (46)
- Boston College (4)
- Denver
- North Dakota
- Minnesota-Duluth
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- Wisconsin
- Notre Dame
- Rensselar
- Miami (Ohio)
- Maine
- Union
- Merrimack
- Nebraska-Omaha
- Boston University
- Western Michigan
- Dartmouth
- Princeton
- Colorado College
